


Provisional Truth

by aceoftwos



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 12:25:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13613340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceoftwos/pseuds/aceoftwos
Summary: No one asked Kett to be a dramatic little shit, or get shot in the chest by the prettiest man he's ever seen, but sometimes a boy's gotta do what a boy's gotta do.





	Provisional Truth

**Author's Note:**

> this is... not quite a side story for one of my novels. more like an alternate universe. a happier universe. i wrote this for a college class about a year ago, so hopefully it still holds up. hope you enjoy it.

**PART I** : _DRAMATICS_

 “Got a job for you, kid.”

Kett tensed and turned towards the shadows on the far side of the room. Valencia sat at the table, barely visible in the growing shadows. Years of practice had left Kett’s voice neutral as he asked, “Who?”

“From the Cobalt Organization, codename Azure. Boss wants him gone.” A folder slid across the table. Kett flipped through it, skimming the contents. There wasn’t much inside: a few blurry photos, a long list of confirmed kills, guesses at his current location. Nothing useful. “You have two weeks. You know what happens if you fuck up.” Valencia’s lips twisted in a cruel parody of a smile and Kett’s stomach knotted. “How’s that little blonde of yours doing?”

Kett closed the file and slid it back across the table as he exited.

* * *

With a glance over his shoulder, Kett ducked into one of the alleys across from the Blue Clover Casino. Supposedly, it was one of the Cobalt Organization’s safe houses. There was a roof to his left, the sill just low enough to reach if he jumped. He hauled himself over the edge using the skills he’d developed through years of sneaking about in areas he had no business being in, legally speaking.

He crouched beside a cement block and surveyed the area below, searching for his target. He saw nothing, of course. Kett cursed silently. Chances were, this was just another in a long line of false leads. Still, he had to be sure or Valencia would have his head.

Settling in for a long night, Kett allowed his mind to drift, trusting to his instincts to keep him out of trouble. He had picked up a lot of habits since being forced to take this accursed job that called him from his warm bed at all hours of the night and his distraction were the least of them. Unfortunately, those were just some of the many joys of being on this side of the law—the _wrong_ side.

Kett kept his eyes locked on the casino’s back door and shifted to prevent his leg from falling asleep. He could hear the strains of a bass line pumping out of a strip club somewhere down the street.

Directly behind him, interrupting the music, was the distinctive crack of a gunshot. He fell on his backside and looked up into the muzzle of a gun. Kett froze. _Fuck_. How had he missed the click of a gun’s safety being disengaged? How had he missed the footsteps? How could he let his guard down like that?

“I guess the red team isn’t much of a threat after all.”

It was Azure. Kett knew it, despite having never clearly seen the man’s face before. It was a rather nice face, he noted grudgingly, with sharp features and a nose that could only be described as cute.

Kett almost lost his composure to a fit of laughter.

“Ogling boys in the middle of a fight, Kett?” The device in his ear buzzed to life and Karmen’s voice came through, full of static and disapproval. “Quit staring at his ass and stall for time, I’ll send Chelsea your way.”

Privately, Kett thought that was unfair. She flirted just as much as he did, if not more (and besides, his eyes were nowhere _near_ Azure’s ass). But he didn’t have time to argue with her. Kett kept one hand on his gun as he stood up and dusted himself off but made no attempt to draw it from its holster. The man eyed him warily, obviously thrown by his flippant demeanor.

“Good evening.”

“…You do realize I’m holding a gun, right?”

“Hadn’t noticed,” Kett said blandly. Azure frowned and straightened out of his defensive stance, aim shifting as he moved until he was pointing at Kett’s elbow instead of his chest. Chelsea’s laser sight swept over the field and Kett prayed Azure wouldn’t notice. Careful to move slowly and not draw attention to what he was doing, Kett pulled his gun from its holster.

“The fuck are you doing, Ke—?”

Kett fired three times and Azure scrambled out of the way, barely managing to dodge. He fumbled for his gun and it dropped to the ground.  Kett stepped forwards and fire twice more, driving Azure into a corner. Now, the only thing illuminating his target was Chelsea’s laser sight, seeking Azure’s heart.

In the new silence, Azure frozen on the floor and attempting to blend into the shadows, Kett’s brain finally caught up with his body and started to process what happened. Azure hadn’t fired. He could’ve easily killed Kett earlier, but he hadn’t. Kett touched the device in his ear and stood still, keeping his gun trained on Azure. Karmen answered immediately. “’Sup Kett?”

“Tells Chels to stand down.” Azure stared at him; his mouth open and moving, but soundless. It Kett was being honest with himself, he thought it was adorable.

“Why?”

“He could’ve killed me, but he didn’t.”

“Just because he hasn’t doesn’t mean he won’t. You should know that, he’s _your_ —!”

“I _do_ know. Trust me.”

“Fine. But if we lose because of you…”

“We won’t! You still have Chels on the field, right?”

“And Chelsea is a terrible shot. We’re going to lose, Kett.”

“If she’s such a terrible shot, then why the hell is she our sniper?”

“Because she may suck at long range, but you suck worse.”

“Just call her off?”

“All right, fine. Go make nice with your boyfriend.” Karmen clicked off and Chelsea’s laser disappeared from the field seconds later. Kett waited a moment and when it didn’t reappear, he reached down and offered Azure his hand. Azure, after hesitating a moment, took it.

Azure stood up and didn’t let go of Kett’s hand and for a minute, Kett allowed himself to dream. Dream that Azure could be a partner, or a friend, maybe something more.

“Goodbye.”

Kett noticed Azure’s gun pressed up against his chest. “Good… bye?”

Azure pulled the trigger. No triumphant smile, no gloating, no victory speech. Somehow, Kett thought he would have more time. He dropped to the floor and clutched at his chest as the upbeat soundtrack faded into elevator music.

* * *

**PART II** : _RED VS. BLUE_

“You’re such a drama queen, Kett.”

My would-be assassin laughs and helps me up. As soon as I’m on my feet, I smack him in the shoulder. “JD! I was monologuing, you asshole! Besides, I’m an actor. It’s my _job_ to be dramatic.”

“That’s why it’s funny.”

“No respect for art,” I lament. It’s a familiar enough argument that JD just rolls his eyes.

“I’m a bio major, I don’t need respect for art.” He smiles and props his gun up against the wall. “What were you doing anyways?”

“Pretending to be a spy, of course! I thought that was the whole point of this.”

“No.” Rilee steps from the shadows with Chelsea trailing behind her, the sensor on her chest plate lit up. She must have been hit while I was talking to Azu— _JD_. “The point was to field test my simulation and find any leftover bugs so I can fix them before sending it off.”

“Your _spy_ simulation.”

“It’s laser tag, Kett.” Rilee leans against the wall and crosses her arms, adopting what Karmen and I have dubbed the ‘Big Sister’ pose. It’s amazing that she can do it so well, given that she has no siblings, older or younger. “No one said anything about spies.”

“Even if it was,” JD adds, “spies are supposed to shoot people not talk them to death.”

“Shoot the love of my life? I could _never_.”

Rilee repeats, “It’s laser tag.”

“Still,” I insist. “I couldn’t shoot JD.”

“Could you shoot me?” Chelsea’s hair frames her face like a halo and the white of her shirt glows in the black light. She’s holding her gun to her chest, arms wrapped around it like it’s a favorite toy.

I point my gun towards her and ask, “D’you wanna find out?”

Chelsea shrieks and ducks behind Rilee, laughing. “No thanks!”

“Wimp.”

“Kett, be nice to your sister.” JD pulls the gun from my hand and sets it next to his. “Wouldn’t want Rilee’s CIA buddies to beat you up. I hear they’re _very_ fond of Chelsea.”

“Wrong,” Rilee answers.

“Homeland Security?”

“Nope.” Rilee grins. “You’re running out of options, JD.”

“I know,” he replies sourly.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll figure out which part of the government I work someday. 

* * *

“So, Kett, I meant to ask earlier… Why _didn’t_ you shoot me?”

“I told you, I coul—”

“We both know that wasn’t the real reason.” I say nothing and JD nudges me with his shoulder. “So? Why didn’t you?”

“Would you rather I had?”

“Kett, stop avoiding the question.”

“Sorry, darling.” I walk ahead of JD so I don’t have to see his face. “It’s… Actors live their lives as other people, but… there’s something of me in every character and no matter what version of me, I could never shoot you.”

“And Chelsea?”

“I probably wouldn’t be able to shoot her either,” I admit.

“Hm.” JD takes my hand and swings it between us. “Has anyone told you that you’re ridiculous?”

“Well, I _am_ ridiculously handsome and talented.”

“Ridiculously cute,” he corrects.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. rilee's job is the same here as in the original story, which will remain a mystery. 
> 
> 2\. kett and jd have some of the worst names i've ever come up with. 
> 
> 3\. in the original story, the first half of this story is real. not exactly, of course, bc kett's literally just spouting off every cliché in the goddamn book, but close enough. except they're hitmen, not spies.


End file.
